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Updated: May 31, 2026

Detecting the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia Burgdorferi, in Ticks Using Nested PCR
Published on: February 4, 2018
[Ocular Lyme disease occurring during childhood: five case reports]
A Sauer1, Y Hansmann, B Jaulhac
1Service d'Ophtalmologie, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, CHU de Strasbourg, BP 426, 67091 Strasbourg cedex, France. arnaud.sauer@chru-strasbourg.fr
Insights
Lyme borreliosis (LB) can cause various eye problems in children. Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment lead to full recovery without permanent vision loss, even in endemic areas.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a prevalent tick-borne illness in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Ophthalmologic manifestations of LB in children are not widely discussed.
- This paper reviews childhood LB-associated ocular conditions.
Observation:
- Six children with LB-associated eye conditions were treated in a Strasbourg University Hospital from 2000-2010.
- Diagnosis involved medical history, ocular/systemic findings, Borrelia antibody tests, and exclusion of other causes.
- Ocular manifestations included uveitis, abducens palsies, optic neuropathy, and orbital myositis.
Findings:
- All diagnosed children had positive Borrelia antibody tests and systemic signs like arthritis or erythema migrans.
- Treatment involved antibiotics, with some cases also receiving anti-inflammatory therapy.
- Complete resolution of ocular symptoms within 2-12 weeks was observed in all patients, with no relapses.
Implications:
- LB should be considered in children with unexplained ocular symptoms, particularly in endemic regions.
- Serological testing for Borrelia is crucial for diagnosis.
- Prompt antibiotic treatment can prevent permanent visual impairment in pediatric Lyme disease.
Introduction:
Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common human tick-borne disease in the Northern hemisphere. The various ophthalmologic manifestations of Lyme borreliosis (LB) during childhood are discussed in this paper.
Patients And Methods:
Six children with LB-associated ocular manifestations were treated between 2000 and 2010 in the ophthalmology department of Strasbourg University Hospital (an endemic area). Medical history, ocular and systemic clinical findings, determinations of antibodies related to Borrelia, as well as exclusion of other causes were the diagnosis criteria.
Results:
Two cases of uveitis, two cases of abducens palsies, one case of optical neuropathy, and one case of orbital myositis associated with LB were diagnosed. Systemic findings, such as arthritis, rash, or erythema migrans were mentioned in all cases. Two children also complained of severe knee arthritis. Determination of antibodies was positive in all patients. They were all treated with antibiotics adjusted to individual circumstances and some of them (two cases of uveitis and one of optic neuropathy) also had anti-inflammatory treatment. Resolution of ocular signs, with no relapse, was observed in all patients within two to 12 weeks.
Conclusion:
For any unexplained ocular symptom, even in children, LB should be taken into account, especially in endemic areas. Such patients should undergo serological testing. If the clinical presentation is suggestive of LB, a course of oral antibiotics should be used. All in all, permanent defects are extremely rare during the childhood period, even following long-term manifestation at an early age.
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